MINNEAPOLIS _ Intermittent rains passed through Target Field on Monday, poured ferociously for a few brief minutes, then disappeared. But it never stopped raining on the Twins' bullpen.
The Twins erupted for a season-high seven runs in the fifth inning, eventually opened a six-run lead, then gave it all back during an excruciating, rain-interrupted 11-run eighth inning, losing the opener of a three-game series to Houston in memorably inept fashion, 16-8.
Minnesota piled up six hits in its big inning, capped by a Miguel Sano blast over the center field wall. But the Astros outdid them in the eighth, collecting eight hits, capped by a Carlos Beltran shot into the right-field seats. It all added up to the worst day ever experienced by the Twins' bullpen in the franchise's 57 seasons, and one of the most painful losses the Twins have absorbed in awhile, more painful even than their 15-inning extravaganza of missed opportunities a day earlier.
Suddenly, the Twins have lost three of four games, have seen their AL Central lead likely trimmed to just one game, and have a bullpen shredded by overwork and ineffectiveness. The relief corps opened the game with a 4.19 ERA, 18th-best in MLB; by game's end, it stood at 4.90, tied for 26th.
Ervin Santana did his best to bail out the Twins, throwing a season-high 114 pitches to get through seven innings with only two runs allowed and leaving with a 7-2 lead that became 8-2 when Robbie Grossman homered in the bottom of the inning. But a parade of Twins' relievers, overworked this weekend by the longest home game in franchise history, could do little to stop the Astros once Santana left. They combined to allow 14 runs in just two innings, two more than a Minnesota bullpen have ever given up in one game.
Ryan Pressly, Craig Breslow and Matt Belisle retired one batter apiece in the eighth, and all allowed at least three runs as well. Pressley gave up three hits, a walk and hit Jose Altuve with a pitch, and all five runners scored. Breslow surrendered two singles and Josh Reddick's two-run double that scored Jake Marisnick and George Springer with the tying and go-ahead runs. And Belisle was hit for a singles and Beltran's home run.
Drew Rucinski, called up before the game, handled the ninth inning, and gave up three more runs.
Defense played a part in the loss as well, with Byron Buxton's lacerated ring finger indirectly responsible. Buxton left the game in the sixth inning, and the Twins used Ehire Adrianza in left field for the final three innings, with Eddie Rosario moving to Buxton's spot in center. And midway through the Astros' big inning, Marwin Gonzalez hit a ball to the left field wall with the bases loaded. Adrianza, who had never played the outfield before in his five-year MLB career, made a leaping attempt to catch it at the wall, but the ball glanced off his glove, scoring two runs.
Four batters later, Reddick lofted a fly ball into shallow center field, where Rosario raced in, slid on his knees, and also allowed the ball to glance off his glove for a double.
